NEW statistics reveal that the amount of people in the UK aged 16 and over identifying as heterosexual or straight decreased in 2019.

The Office for National Statistics today released figures showing the UK population's sexual orientation.

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Here are the main points from the data collected:

  • The proportion of the UK population aged 16 years and over identifying as heterosexual or straight decreased from 94.6 per cent in 2018 to 93.7 per cent in 2019
  • Around 2.7 per cent of the UK population aged 16 years and over identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) in 2019, an increase from 2.2 per cent in 2018
  • Between 2018 and 2019, the number of men identifying as LGB increased from 2.5 per cent to 2.9 per cent and women identifying as LGB increased from 2.0 per cent to 2.5 per cent
  • Younger people (aged 16 to 24 years) were most likely to identify as LGB in 2019 (6.6 per cent of all 16 to 24 year olds, an increase from 4.4 per cent in 2018); older people (65 years and over) also showed an increase in those identifying as LGB, from 0.7 per cent to 1.0 per cent of this age category

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  • Between 2018 and 2019, the proportion of people who identified as LGB increased for England (2.7 per cent, up from 2.3 per cent) and Scotland (2.7 per cent, up from 2.0 per cent), however Wales (2.9 per cent) and Northern Ireland (1.3 per cent) remained stable; among English regions, people in London were most likely to identify as LGB (3.8 per cent, an increase from 2.8 per cent).

Penelope McClure, from the population statistics division of the Office for National Statistics said: “An estimated 1.4 million people aged 16 and over in the UK identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) in 2019 - a statistically significant increase from 1.2 million in 2018 - continuing the trend we have seen over recent years.

“People aged 16 to 24 continue to be the most likely to identify as LGB, however the proportion of older adults identifying as LGB, while much smaller, is also increasing.”

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